Life Through My Crazy Eyes!

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‘Tis the season for turkey and trimmings, for cookies and cakes, for pies and presents….and unsuccessful attempts at dieting!

This time of year it seems that every where you turn there is another ad, commercial, or story claiming to burn off those extra pounds, help you get fit, or curb you holiday appetite.

Everyone you run into is on a diet, is counting calories, or is in one way or another obsessed with the food they eat, or fight not to eat.

You know what I say….

SCREW IT!!!

Yup, that’s right… I just said that! Why did I say that? Because honestly, who really cares.

I think that it is time for us to face the facts. The truth is your body is going to do whatever it chooses to do, and as you age those choices usually differ from your own preference. If you are going to gain weight because you like junk food, than forcing yourself not to eat what you like is not going to work…. or maybe it will, for a while, but in the long run diets are crap.

No, I am not saying that you should run wild and stuff yourself with cookies and cakes until you have to be rolled out of Aunt Elma’s house like Vercua Salt in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Of course not, that would be silly…. and probably somewhat traumatic to your brothers new girlfriend. What I am saying is that you should not deprive yourself of the things you love just to fit some unnatural image you are holding of yourself in your head…

What exactly is an unnatural image, you ask…. Well, If you are over the age of 25 and you are not currently, or naturally, a size two, chances are you are not going to be. (No matter how many Big Mac‘s you avoid) Sure eating healthy is a great way to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle, and it is just plain good for you, but forcing yourself to avoid what you crave is not!

The key to a happy healthy life is to fuel your body with healthy foods, and treat yourself to the junk you love. It’s all about moderation my friends, and positive thinking if you really want to get technical. But moderation is the real key…

If you force yourself to fill up on things that you don’t actually want to be eating, all of the time, then one of those times you are just going to snap…. this is where the real problem lies. You can not, no matter how hard you try, completely change the person you are and expect those changes to stick, and last forever. Trying to change everything you eat all the time is like trying to change your personality forever. It is just not possible, and eventually you will become unhappy with yourself.

This is not to say ‘accept your weight just the way you are’, that ‘obesity is OK’, or ‘who cares if you are on the verge of heart failure because you can’t even make it up your front steps’… NO! There are some situations where losing weight in excess is the only” real” option, and that’s fine. There is also nothing wrong with wanting to lose a little weight just to “feel” good, but creating some unrealistic image of yourself in a size 2 dress when you haven’t been a size 2 since grade 6 is wrong. Not only is it a sure-fire way to set yourself up for disappointment, but it is a guaranteed way to beat down your self-esteem. You need to be realistic in your goals, conscience of what you eat, and in tune with your bodies cravings, not deprive yourself of food you love just for the sake of losing a few pounds.

Instead of skipping on the deserts this season, decide to take an extra walk tomorrow, fit in another trip to the gym on the weekend, or play a round of tennis with your girlfriends. Give yourself the gift of the pleasure good food gives, and accept that although that extra helping of turkey might make your size 2 image blur, the image of who you are now with a satisfied smile on your face is what is truly important.